Description
In Portugal, only 11.5% of the population engages in volunteering activities, and many organizations, not having the skills to enlist and coordinate volunteers, do not feel motivated to integrate them. NGOs need to develop the skills to attract volunteers and to coordinate volunteer work. This project is intended to improve volunteer management in NGOs working with the Portuguese youth, through the implementation of appropriate management tools. 45 youth organizations will participate and be trained through this project, and thousands of new volunteers will be integrated in their activities. For the various organizations, a diagnosis will be carried out and activities will be proposed to improve the volunteer management process. Empowerment activities will follow (training and consulting), having in mind the needs identified at the diagnosis stage. Afterwards, the new skills and practices will be implemented, and the project’s impact will be analysed.
Summary of project results
The participation of Portuguese in voluntary activities is very weak (11.5% compared to 24% in the EU). Most organisations do not own the skills to host and coordinate volunteers and so are not motivated to attract and work with them. Misconceptions about volunteering - together with the volunteers' work being below its potential - result in low effective outcomes far short of what could be expected. The National Federation of the Youth Associations – with around 1 000 member associations across the country – is aware of this situation and organised a training programme for its associates wanting to improve their volunteering management skills. A national tender was launched to select the beneficiary associations. 52 youth associations were involved and got training and mentoring. As a result 5 083 NGO staff and leaders were trained (of which 140 leaders), 735 volunteering managers were trained and 2 250 new volunteers are estimated to have been attracted to work in those youth associations. All these figures surpassed by far the initial targets. A volunteering management manual was produced and 2 000 copies were sent to all youth associations in order to help them attract, mobilise and manage their volunteers and disseminate the project outcomes. The Federation intends to replicate the project in other associations once new funds are available; the partnership created for this project between NGOs and a private training company is to be continued.
Summary of bilateral results